{"id":88276,"date":"2025-10-18T17:00:25","date_gmt":"2025-10-18T17:00:25","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/uncategorized\/lawyer-backs-magistrate-mendy-on-in-camera-inquest"},"modified":"2025-10-19T08:28:13","modified_gmt":"2025-10-19T08:28:13","slug":"lawyer-backs-magistrate-mendy-on-in-camera-inquest","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/lawyer-backs-magistrate-mendy-on-in-camera-inquest","title":{"rendered":"Lawyer Backs Magistrate Mendy on In-Camera Inquest"},"content":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Gambia. <\/strong><\/span>Melville Robertson Roberts, a prominent lawyer, has supported Magistrate Anna Mendy\u2019s decision to hold parts of the ongoing Coroner\u2019s Inquest behind closed doors, saying the move is neither unusual nor improper.<\/b><\/p>\n

According to Mr. Roberts, who was a former Deputy Permanent Secretary, the magistrate\u2019s move was \u201ca measured exercise of judicial prudence aimed at safeguarding the integrity of the proceedings.\u201d<\/p>\n

It would be recalled that Magistrate Mendy has decided to hold parts of the Coroner\u2019s Inquest into the death of Omar Badjie in camera.<\/p>\n

In a detailed legal commentary, Roberts explained that Gambian courts, like those in other common law jurisdictions, possess inherent powers to decide how proceedings are conducted, including whether certain sessions should be held in camera, meaning privately, away from the public and the press.<\/p>\n

He emphasized that while transparency remains a cornerstone of justice, it is not an absolute rule, especially where openness might compromise fairness, expose witnesses, or risk the contamination of evidence. \u201cPublic curiosity cannot override the court\u2019s duty to ensure an orderly, fair, and untainted inquest,\u201d Roberts argued.<\/p>\n

The Coroner\u2019s Inquest, he notes, is a quasi-judicial process that seeks to determine the cause and circumstances of a person\u2019s death, a matter that touches both public interest and the administration of justice. However, Roberts stressed that \u201cpublic interest must be balanced against the sanctity of the judicial process.\u201d<\/p>\n

According to him, Magistrate Mendy\u2019s move should be seen not as an attempt at secrecy but as \u201can act of responsibility,\u201d particularly in an era where \u201cspeculative reporting and journalistic mischief\u201d can easily distort ongoing proceedings.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe court is not shutting out the public to conceal facts,\u201d Roberts stated. \u201cIt is exercising lawful discretion to preserve the integrity of its proceedings.\u201d<\/p>\n

He further clarified that once the inquest concludes, its findings will be submitted to the Chief Justice for appropriate publication and ensuring transparency in the outcome, even if parts of the process are confidential.<\/p>\n

In conclusion, Roberts described Magistrate Mendy\u2019s decision as a reflection of judicial independence in the face of mounting public pressure. \u201cThe rule of law thrives not in noise but in order,\u201d he said. \u201cJustice, in its purest form, sometimes demands discretion over display.\u201d<\/p>\n

As debate continues, the case underscores a deeper question about public expectation, media responsibility, and the fine balance between openness and judicial integrity in The Gambia\u2019s evolving democracy.<\/p>\n

For More News And Analysis About Gambia<\/span> Follow Africa-Press<\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Africa-Press – Gambia. Melville Robertson Roberts, a prominent lawyer, has supported Magistrate Anna Mendy\u2019s decision to hold parts of the ongoing Coroner\u2019s Inquest behind closed doors, saying the move is neither unusual nor improper. According to Mr. Roberts, who was a former Deputy Permanent Secretary, the magistrate\u2019s move was \u201ca measured exercise of judicial prudence […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":84,"featured_media":88275,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[2,3],"tags":[260],"class_list":["post-88276","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-all-news","category-community","tag-gambia"],"yoast_head":"\nLawyer Backs Magistrate Mendy on In-Camera Inquest - Gambia<\/title>\n<meta name=\"description\" content=\"Melville Robertson Roberts, a prominent lawyer, has supported Magistrate Anna Mendy\u2019s decision to hold parts of the o ...\" \/>\n<meta name=\"robots\" content=\"index, follow, max-snippet:-1, max-image-preview:large, max-video-preview:-1\" \/>\n<link rel=\"canonical\" href=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/lawyer-backs-magistrate-mendy-on-in-camera-inquest\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:locale\" content=\"en_US\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:type\" content=\"article\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:title\" content=\"Lawyer Backs Magistrate Mendy on In-Camera Inquest\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:description\" content=\"Melville Robertson Roberts, a prominent lawyer, has supported Magistrate Anna Mendy\u2019s decision to hold parts of the o ...\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:url\" content=\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/lawyer-backs-magistrate-mendy-on-in-camera-inquest\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:site_name\" content=\"Gambia\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:publisher\" content=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/AfricaPressTunisiaa\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:published_time\" content=\"2025-10-18T17:00:25+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"article:modified_time\" content=\"2025-10-19T08:28:13+00:00\" \/>\n<meta property=\"og:image\" content=\"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/gambia\/sites\/19\/2025\/10\/sm_1760798696.347555.jpg\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:width\" content=\"936\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:height\" content=\"520\" \/>\n\t<meta property=\"og:image:type\" content=\"image\/jpeg\" \/>\n<meta name=\"author\" content=\"cfeditoren\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:card\" content=\"summary_large_image\" \/>\n<meta name=\"twitter:label1\" content=\"Written by\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data1\" content=\"cfeditoren\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:label2\" content=\"Est. reading time\" \/>\n\t<meta name=\"twitter:data2\" content=\"2 minutes\" \/>\n<script type=\"application\/ld+json\" class=\"yoast-schema-graph\">{\"@context\":\"https:\/\/schema.org\",\"@graph\":[{\"@type\":\"Article\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/lawyer-backs-magistrate-mendy-on-in-camera-inquest#article\",\"isPartOf\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/lawyer-backs-magistrate-mendy-on-in-camera-inquest\"},\"author\":{\"name\":\"cfeditoren\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/#\/schema\/person\/068c7ab4e9634ae78ec5d54ec46598bb\"},\"headline\":\"Lawyer Backs Magistrate Mendy on In-Camera Inquest\",\"datePublished\":\"2025-10-18T17:00:25+00:00\",\"dateModified\":\"2025-10-19T08:28:13+00:00\",\"mainEntityOfPage\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/lawyer-backs-magistrate-mendy-on-in-camera-inquest\"},\"wordCount\":419,\"commentCount\":0,\"image\":{\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/lawyer-backs-magistrate-mendy-on-in-camera-inquest#primaryimage\"},\"thumbnailUrl\":\"https:\/\/static.africa-press.net\/gambia\/sites\/19\/2025\/10\/sm_1760798696.347555.jpg\",\"keywords\":[\"Gambia\"],\"articleSection\":[\"all news\",\"community\"],\"inLanguage\":\"en-US\",\"potentialAction\":[{\"@type\":\"CommentAction\",\"name\":\"Comment\",\"target\":[\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/lawyer-backs-magistrate-mendy-on-in-camera-inquest#respond\"]}]},{\"@type\":\"WebPage\",\"@id\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/lawyer-backs-magistrate-mendy-on-in-camera-inquest\",\"url\":\"https:\/\/www.africa-press.net\/gambia\/all-news\/lawyer-backs-magistrate-mendy-on-in-camera-inquest\",\"name\":\"Lawyer Backs Magistrate Mendy on In-Camera Inquest - 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